/ 


Issued  July  is,  1911. 


U.  S.  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE, 

OFFICE  OF  PUBLIC  ROADS— CIRCULAR  No.  95. 

LOGAN  WALLER  PAGE,  DraECTOR. 


SPECIAL  ROAD  PROBLEMS  IN  THE 
SOUTHERN  STATES. 


D.  H.  WIXSLOW, 

Superintendent  of  Road  Construction,  Office  of  rublic  Roads. 


^^"^ 


AVA.SIilNti'KJX: 

f30\T=:RNMENT    PRfNirNG    OFFICE. 

1911. 


^oJ^Tiom^ 


LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL. 


United  States  Department  of  Agriculture, 

Office  of  Public  Roads, 
WasJiington,  D.  C,  April  2 J,.,  1911. 
Sir:  I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  herewith  the  manuscript  of  a 
cu'cular  by  ^Ir.  D,  H.  Winslow,  a  superintendent  of  road  construction 
in  this  office,  entitled   "Special  Road  Problems  in  the  Southern 
States."     Pubhcations  of  tliis  specific  character  should  have  a  great 
interest  for  the  road  builders  in  the  section  concerned,  and  it  is  hoped 
that  much  good  may  be  derived  from  them.     I  therefore  respectfully 
request  that  tliis  manuscript  be  issued  as  Cncular  95  of  this  office. 
Respectfully, 

Logan  Waller  Page,  Director. 
Hon.  James  Wilson, 

Secretary  of  Agriculture. 

3 


CONTENTS. 

Page. 

Introduction 1 7 

Flooded  roads  and  fords 7 

Swamp  sections  and  low  levels 10 

Erosion  of  the  road  and  ditches 12 

Sand  and  clay  stretches 14 

Top  soil  roads 15 

5 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 

rage. 

Fig.    1.  Ford  on  a  main  road  in  South  Carolina 8 

2.  A  plank  bridge  in  South  Carolina  one-half  mile  long 8 

3.  Crosscut  view  showing  the  method  of  draining  a  flooded  road  with  logs. .  9 

4.  Crosscut  view  showing  the  method  of  draining  a  flooded  road  with  a 

concrete  wall 1^ 

5.  A  swampy  mail  route  in  Georgia 10 

6.  Corduroy  road  near  Lunenbiurg,  Va 11 

7.  Roadbed  with  V-shaped  foundation 12 

8.  V-shaped  drain  filled  with  rock,  brickbats,  or  sand 12 

9.  Erosion  of  side  ditches  on  a  South  Carolina  road,  causing  danger  to 

trafiic 1^ 

10.  Two-inch  plank  prepared  for  use  in  sandy  regions 13 

11.  Crosscut  view  of  a  sandy  road  protected  by  planks 14 

12.  Road  ditch  prepared  with  trenches  to  be  filled  with  logs 14 

13.  Road  ditch  with  logs  in  place I'l 


SPECIAL  ROAD  PROBLEMS  IN  THE  SOUTHERN 

STATES. 


INTRODTJCTION. 

Wliile  the  general  principles  of  road  construction  are  nearly  the 
same  all  over  the  United  States,  it  will  be  found  necessary  to  modify 
them  somewhat,  owing  to  climatic  conditions,  difference  in  the 
road  materials  available,  and  numerous  varying  local  conditions. 
Problems  ^^'ill  be  encountered  in  the  Northern  States,  o^^^ng  to 
frost  action  and  severe  winters,  that  do  not  concern  the  southern 
road  builders,  and  in  turn  the  northern  builders  do  not  have  to  con- 
tend witli  tropical  vegetation  or  the  scarcity  of  free  labor.  There  are 
certain  road  problems  confined  to  the  Southern  States,  and  it  is  \\dth 
these  particular  cases  that  this  circular  will  deal,  rather  than  A\4th  the 
general  road  problems. 

It  will  be  the  aim  of  this  publication  to  deal  as  concisely  as  pos- 
sible with  such  difficulties  and  to  offer  a  simple  treatment  of  them 
by  the  use  of  local  materials  and  labor. 

FLOODED  ROADS  AND  FORDS. 

At  certain  seasons  of  the  3'ear,  in  some  localities,  there  arc  roads 
that  are  entirely  covered  with  water  from  1  t(j  10  feet  deep,  and  for  a 
distance  varying  from  a  few  hundred  feet  to  more  than  a  mile.  Such 
conditions  are  found  in  the  eastern  C'arolinas,  and  in  southern  Georgia, 
Alabama,  Mississippi,  Florida,  and  other  Staces. 

At  such  times,  travel  is  practically  cut  off  or  confined  to  jiorse- 
back  ri(fing,  witli  a  heavy  loss  to  the  community.  Education  is  at 
a  standstill;  medical  service  is  limited  and  irregular;  church  attend- 
ance becomes  impossible;  the  mails  are  delayed,  if  not  entirely  aban- 
doned; fire  protection  is  cut  off;  and  life  on  the  farm  becomes  one  of 
isolation  and  hardsliip.  Tliis  is  one  of  the  conditions  that  this  cir- 
cular seeks  to  refieve  by  making  llie  road  ])!issable  12  niontlis  in  the 
year  at  a  nominal  cost. 

As  in  otlier  cases,  the  troul)le  should  be  li  accd  to  its  source",  but  iiore, 
even  when  the  cause  is  ascertained,  tlie  road  builder  is  littk^  better 
off,  for  the  cause  for  such  conditions  hardly  ever  originates  on  tlic 
road  itself.     It    is   (juit','  likely  to  ])e  a  choked  channel  on  private 

O.'iWiO"'—  1 1  7 


8 


SPECIAL    ROAD    PKOIU.EMS    TN    THE    SOUTHERN    STATES. 


land,  a  swollen  slre.uu  ovcillowinf;  its  banks,  or  a  large  drainage  area 
emptying  over  a  small  area,  which  limitetl  funds  will  not  suffice  to 
remedy,  even  if  nil  Ihe  lotial  objections  can  be  overcome. 


Fig.  1.— Ford  on  a  main  road  in  South  Carolina. 


The  real  problem  consists  in  doing  the  necessary  work  on  the  road 
itself  without  damage  to  the  property  on  either  side.     In  some  cases 


Fig.  2.— a  plank  bridge  in  South  Carolina  one-half  mile  long. 

a  long  bridge  has  been  built,  but  such  a  bridge  is  expensive  in  its 
construction  and  is  a  constant  item  of  maintenance.  For  most 
places,  indeed,  its  cost  is  prohibitive. 


SPECIAL    ROAD    PROBLEMS    IN    THE    SOUTHERN    STATES.  9 

To  make  a  deep  fill,  with  the  necessary  culverts,  wouhl  also  require 
a  large  financial  outla}',  especially  since  the  slopes  would  require 
heavy  facing  to  prevent  sUding  at  flood  season. 

The  growth  of  vegetation  is  so  rapitl  in  the  South  that  clearance 
of  channels,  if  permitted  by  the  abutters,  would  be  of  little  value 
unless  S3'stematicalh^  done  at  frec^uent  intervals.  There  is,  however, 
scarcely  a  section  in  the  South  where  these  conditions  exist  that 
either  timber,  brick,  stone,  or  sand  can  not  be  obtained. 

The  first  solution  to  the  problem  lies,  then,  in  the  use  of  timber  for 
making  the  flooded  sections  passable,  so  that,  for  example,  the  engine 
of  an  automobile  may  be  kept  dry  while  going  over  the  road. 

On  the  downstream  side  of  the  road  logs  are  placed  parallel  to  the 
road  in  the  form  of  a  pyramid,  with  the  top  of  the  upper  log  set  as 
high  as  the  usual  water  level  on  the  road.  The  bottom  logs  are  held 
in  place  by  either  sinking  them  in  a  shallow  trench  or  b}'  driving  heavv 
stakes.  The  logs  are  set  at  the  extreme  limits  of  the  traveled  way- 
Large-sized  logs  are  used  and  the  largest  are  placed  in  the  base  of 
the  pyramid.     These  logs  lie  end  to  end  except  that  space  is  left  to 


'  '   ' ^<^^/^Ji Sfi'U^    FILL  -|l^<^:^^i^'J 


CULV/ERT 


SECTION 


Fig.  :?.— Crosscut  view  showing  the  method  of  draining  a  flooded  road  with  logs. 

permit  a  culvert  \\dth  a  head  wall  to  pass  through.  The  purpose  of 
this  culvert  will  be  explained  later.  Sand  is  dumped  against  the  logs 
on  the  side  toward  the  traveled  wa}-  imtil  it  is  level  witli  tlie  top  k)g 
and  wide  enough  for  a  vehicle  to  travel  on.  The  logs  act  as  a  re- 
taining wall,  or  as  a  dam,  and  practically  aU  sediment  is  retained,  so 
as  to  form  a  grathial  sh)pe  from  the  top  of  the  logs  to  the  opposite 
side  of  the  road.  By  (h'iving  close  to  the  logs  a  wagon  or  automobile 
encounters  but  a  few  inches  of  water.  After  the  flood  season  and 
as  the  water  recedes,  the  purpose  of  the  culvert  is  apparent.  The 
logs  and  sand  act  as  a  dam  and,  without  tlie  culvert,  would  keep  the 
land  flooded  on  the  side  of  the  road  opposite  tlie  logs. 

A  culvert  is  placed  at  right  angles  to  the  road  at  the  natural  grade 
of  the  ground  and  protected  with  head  walls  at  both  ends.  As  the 
water  recedes,  it  runs  away  from  tiie  logs  down  the  incline  to  the 
inlet  of  the  culvert  and  through  tliis  under  the  road.  Every  flood 
adds  sediment  and  compacts  the  material. 

If  stone,  brick,  or  sand  can  be  had,  a  moic  pennanent  structure 
can  be  obtained  by  making  it  of  concrete,  brick,  stone,  or  cement 


10 


SPECIAL   EOAD    PROBLEMS    IN    THE    SOUTHERN    STATES. 


mortar.  If  stone  is  the  only  available  material,  it  is  necessary  only 
to  lay  the  stone,  like  a  wall,  parallel  to  the  road,  similar  to  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  logs  as  shown  in  figure  3.  Where  brick  is  used,  the  top 
of  the  wall  should  be  at  least  8  inches  thick,  while  the  thickness  at 
the  base  depends  upon  the  height  of  the  wall.     In  some  sections  con- 


FiG.  4.— Crosscut  view  showing  tlie  method  of  draining  a  flooded  road  with  a  concrete  wall. 

Crete  or  cement  mortar  can  be  obtained,  and  in  such  places  a  neat 
pemianent  w^all  can  be  laid. 

SWAMP  SECTIONS  AND  LOW  LEVELS. 

There  are  roads  on  wdiich  the  water  stands  throughout  the  whole 
year  and,  while  they  do  not  become  impassable  like  the  flooded  areas, 


Fig.  5.— Swampy  mail  ronte  in  Georgia. 


they  are  a  nuisance  to  all  who  are  obliged  to  use  them.  Pedestrians 
are  sometimes  able  to  cross  these  sections  on  plank  walks,  which, 
however,  are  generally  neglected.  They  are  impassable  for  automo- 
biles because  of  the  danger  of  flooding  the  engines. 


SPECIAL    ROAD   PROBLEMS    IN    THE    SOUTHERN    STATES. 


11 


In  cases  of  this  description  the  trouble  is  caused  by  the  fact  that 
the  water  can  not  be 'drawn  away  from  the  road  because  the  road  is 
lower  than  the  level  of  the  adjacent  land.  It  is,  therefore,  necessary 
to  elevate  the  road  above  the  water  to  secure  proper  drainage. 

"Wliile  a  bridge  would  remedy  the  trouble  in  some  cases,  it  must  be 
remembered  that  this  circular  is  describing  those  sections  which  are 
financially  unable  to  build  bridges  at  present.  Moreover,  unless  the 
bridge  is  built  of  something  more  permanent  than  wood,  there  must 
be  a  constant  outlay 
for  the  maintenance  of 
the  bridge  floor. 

On  the  other  hand, 
to  make  a  fill  that 
would  raise  the  road 
entirely  out  of  the 
water  would  cost  a 
large  amount  of 
money,  and  such  a  fill 
would  require  heavy 
protection  on  it^ 
slopes,  in  order  that 
the  water  might  not 
undermine  them. 
Where  a  small  fill  has 
been  made,  the  local 
authorities  have  usu- 
ally resorted  to  the 
corduroy  road,  which 
is  one  of  the  roughest 
and  most  unsatisfac- 
tory roads  in  use.  If 
the  material  used  can 
absorb  moisture  to 
any  extent,  the  fill  nat- 
urally becomes  gradu- 
ally saturated.  As  the 
water  must  remain  on 
or  around  the  road,  it 


Fig.  0.— Corduroy  loaii  iioar  Luueubuij,',  \'a. 


is  necessary  to  use  a  material  that  holds  as  lilth'  nioistuiv  as  possible, 
and  to  use  it  in  such  a  manner  as  to  give  a  dry  road  with  Ihc  least 
amount  of  materials. 

There  is  scarcely  a  section  in  the  South  where  either  rock,  clay,  or 
sand  can  not  be  obtained.  "WTierever  there  is  clay,  brick  will  prob- 
ably be  made,  and  wherever  there  is  a  brick  kiln,  it  is  ])ossible  to  secure 
old  brickbats,  or  at  any  rate  they  can  generally  be  found  around 
the  sites  of  ohl  brick  buildinirs. 


12  SPECIAL    ROAD    PROBLEMS    IN    THE    SOUTHERN    STATES. 

The  method  ol"  eonst ruction  for  roads  of  this  description  is  the 
same,  whether  rock,  brickbats,  or  sand  are  used.  The  road  is  first 
formed  in  a  V-shape  by  cither  excavating  in  the  center  and  throwing 
tlie  material  to  the  sides  or  ])y  fiUing  the  materials  in  at  the  sides  of 
the  roadbed  to  form  the  sides  of  the  "V."  Tliis  "  V  "  is  next  filled  with 
either  rock,  brickbats,  or  sand.  If  it  is  filled  with  rock,  the  largest- 
sized  pieces  are  kept  at  the  point  of  the  "V,"  while  the  smallest  are 
used  at  the  top.  For  a  lo-foot  roadbed  the  rock  is  placed  from  18 
to  24  inches  thick  in  the  center  and  to  a  depth  of  about  6  inches  at  a 
point  7h  feet  on  each  side  of  the  center.  The  top  is  then  dressed  oft' 
with  natural  soil  and  a  road  drag  is  used. 


SECTION 

Fig.  7.— Roadbed  with  V-shaped  foundation. 

If  it  is  filled  with  brickbats  or  sand,  the  same  methotl  is  used.  The 
sand  section  will  remain  damp  and,  since  sand  supports  a  load  better 
when  damp  than  when  dry,  this  is  an  advantage. 

This  type  of  road  is  more  satisfactory  than  the  old  corduroy  road, 
and  far  less  expensive  to  maintain,  because  the  use  of  the  road  drag 
and  an  occasional  renewal  of  material  when  settlement  takes  place 
will  be  the  only  items  of  expense.  In  some  sections  the  *'V"  has 
been  filled  wdth  logs  laid  parallel  with  the  road,  but  this  method  is  not 
recommended  except  as  a  temporary  measure. 


1 

^ 

-"-Mm^i^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

'o 

(0 

15- O" 

SECTION 

Fig.  8.— V-sliaped  drain  filled  with  rock,  briclibats,  or  saud. 

EROSION  OF  THE  ROAD  AND  DITCHES. 

After  hard  or  prolonged  rains,  roads  which  have  been  constructed 
with  a  flat  surface  are  often  gullied  in  the  center,  or,  if  the  road  was 
well  crowned,  the  gutters  or  ditches  are  usually  badly  washed. 

As  a  rule  the  damage  is  more  extensive  on  grades  than  on  level 
stretches.  This  is  because  the  damage  in  general  depends  upon  the 
velocity  of  the  water,  and  this  of  course  is  controlled  by  the  steep- 
ness of  the  slope.     If  the  water  cuts  the  ditches  very  deep,  it  might 


SPECIAL    ROAD    PROBLEMS    IN    THE    SOUTHERN    STATES. 


13 


be  advisable  to  reduce  the  grade  of  the  road,  if  j)ossil)le,  either  by 
cutting  down  the  summit  or  filhng  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  or  both. 
It  must  be  remembered  that  this  is  likely  to  be  economical  in  the 
end  even  if  the  first  cost  seems  high,  since  it  will  not  only  save  on 
future  maintenance,  but  will  decrease  the  tractive  force  required  to 


Fig.  <j.— Erosion  of  side  ditches  on  a  South  Carolina  road  causing  danger  to  trallie. 

})un  a  load  at  this  i)oint.  There  are,  however,  many  grades  that  can 
not  be  changed,  because  of  local  conditions,  and  it  is  the  aim  of  this 
circular  to  deal  with  these  cases. 

In  the  c-aso  of  the  sandy  sections  the  wash  may  be  effectively 
stopped  by  2-inch  i)lanks  from  6  to  12  inches  wide  and  cut  into 
3-foot     sections.  

^ mj 


These  short  ])lanks 
are  shari)ened  on 
one  end  and  then 
enough  of  them  to 
cover  3  feet  in 
width  of  the  gutter 
or  ditch  are  driven 
in  edge  to  edge  for  a 
depth  of  over  3  feet 
at  right  angles  to  the 

grade  of  the  road.  If  the}'  are  driven  in  a  little  more  than  Hush  with 
the  gutter,  there  is  no  danger  of  the  road  machine  or  drag  striking  them. 
In  a  clay  section  it  is  practically  impossible  to  drive  a  i)lank  'A 
feet  without  splintering  it.  The  method  of  construction  is  entirely 
different  from  that  described  for  sandy  sections.  Old  logs  or  railroad 
ties,  if  they  can  be  secured,  are  better  under  these  conditions.     They 


Fig.  10.— Two-incli  plank  prepared  for  use  in  sandy  regions. 


14 


SPECIAL  KOAD   PROBLEMS   IN   THE   SOUTHEKN   STATES. 


shoulil  lirst  be  cut  into  4-i"()ot  lengths.  Treuohes  are  then  sunk  in 
the  guttei's  at  right  angles  to  the  road,  and  the  tic  or  log  is  placed  in 
the  trench.  "\Micrc  the  wash  is  severe,  several  logs  are  placed  directly 
over  each  other  like  the  flashboards  in  a  dam.  The  top  log  or  tie  is 
placed  at  least  4  inches  below  the  gutte  •  in  order  to  prevent  it  from 
coming  in  contact  with  a  road  drag  or  road  machine  in  operation. 


Fig.  11. — Crosscut  view  of  a  sandy  road  protected  by  planks. 

The  ties  or  logs  are  })laced  from  20  to  60  feet  apart,  according  to  the 
grade  of  the  hill,  and  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  insert  one  whenever  an 
additional  one  is  required. 

The  chief  advantage  gained  b}^  this  use  of  logs  or  planks  is  that 
deep  and  dangerous  ditches  which  are  not  only  a  menace  to  travel, 
but  also  make  the  road  narrow,  are  removed.     When  the  planks  or 


Fig.  12. — Road  ditch  prepared  with  trenches  to  be  filled  with  logs. 

logs  are  used,  the  entire  width  of  the  road  can  be  used  by  the  public, 
and  the  road  is  always  safe. 

SAND   OR  CLAY  STRETCHES. 

Many  sand  beds  that  are  bad  at  all  seasons  can  be  improved  by 
mixing  clay  with  sand  by  means  of  a  plow  and  harrow  and  then  using 


Fig.  13— Road  ditch  with  logs  in  place. 

the  road  drag  systematically.  On  the  other  hand,  many  clay  sec- 
tions that  are  bad  in  wet  weather  can  be  improved  by  first  plowing 
and  then  mixing  in  sand  by  means  of  the  harrow,  and  finally  using 
the  road  drag. 

The  Office  of  Public  Roads  has  issued  a  pubUcation  on  the  subject 
of  sand-clay  roads,  and  this  circular  will  not  therefore  enter  into  the 


SPECIAL   ROAD    PROBLEMS    IX    THE    SOUTHERN    STATES. 


15 


details  of  this  method  of  road  construe tiou.  This  piibHcatiou  is 
Farmers'  Bidletiu  311,  •'Sand-cUiy  and  Burnt-chiy  Roads,"  and 
copies  of  it  can  be  obtained  upon  apphcation  to  the  Secretary  of 
Agriculture,  Wasliington,  D.  C\ 

TOP   SOIL  ROADS. 

This  t3'pe  of  road  has  been  used  with  marked  success  in  Virginia 
and  Georgia.  While  in  principle  it  is  a  sand-clay  type,  it  is  often  a 
sandy  soil  with  just  enough  loam  to  fill  the  voids  in"  the  sand  and 
bond  the  particles  together.  The  road  really  lies  between  a  sand-clay 
road  and  an  earth  road,  and  it  is  well  to  bear  in  mind  that  the  best 
residts  on  earth  roads,  especially  in  the  South,  are  obtained  when  the 
material  is  phable  and  plastic  and  can  be  easily  and  economically 
worked.  The  earth  roads  are  vastly  improved  if  all  sod,  roots, 
refuse,  and  perishable  material  can  be  kept  out  of  the  roadbed  and 
the  surface  well  cro\\Tied. 

o 


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